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Angelina McCall talks about volunteering as a nurse at a clinic on the U.S.-Mexico border immediately after struggling to perform in the ER at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
Time for StoryCorps. Today, a story about rediscovering this means in your perform. Angelina McCall commenced her nursing job at an emergency space in Tucson, Ariz. It was 2020 at the height of COVID. She remaining that occupation about a 12 months afterwards and doubted whether she was cut out for nursing.
ANGELINA MCCALL: I was incredibly ashamed and ashamed. And I imagined, Ok, well, I are unable to perform in the ER, but I am bilingual. I have a car or truck. And I live suitable on the border. My mom is from Mexico. She’s an immigrant. So I considered I can maybe assist these migrants that are trapped at the border appropriate now.
I utilized for the volunteer posture at a clinic, and when I bought there, men and women were being coming in for to start with help. They have an personal injury in their foot, wound treatment, blister care, and they open up up, and they convey to me tales that are quite hard. There was 1 loved ones that arrived in and the tiny woman was possibly all around 10, and the father of the small woman starts off to cry. And he is telling me that the explanation why they still left their house region was simply because there was an individual who was trying to damage his daughter, and he couldn’t shield her down there. And I inform myself, Alright, I am heading to allow him know that he is in a safe position, that he is worthy of security, love, compassion, and then be a nurse and help the youthful woman.
That very little lady drew these photographs for me, and they express their really like for me, a stranger. And at that point, I realized the a person yr that I struggled in the ER – as a great deal as I sense like I unsuccessful, I am basically employing the capabilities that I figured out. Nursing is a attractive point. It can be incredible to be with a person all through their worst condition. And I talk to myself, why did I turn into a nurse? And it truly is to do this type of work.
MARTÍNEZ: Angelina McCall with her husband, Matt, in Tucson, Ariz. Angelina made the decision not to depart nursing, and she nonetheless volunteers at the clinic on the border. Her interview is archived at the Library of Congress.
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